Minister Mustafa welcomed Minister Trhulj and expressed his pleasure at the interest shown by Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Kurdistan Region. He said, ‘We hope that you have found your visit productive and I am confident this visit will pave the way for building strong relations between Kurdistan and Bosnia and Herzegovina.’

Minister Trhulj said, ‘We are happy to be here visiting our friends to see the opportunities that are available and we look forward to increasing economic cooperation, as we believe this is the foundation for building a strong relationship.’

Minister Mustafa briefed the Bosnian and Herzegovina delegation on the economic needs of the region, highlighting that these needs provide opportunities for international companies and can help Bosnia and Herzegovina to gain a foothold in Kurdistan.

He also briefed the delegation about the journey that Kurdistan has made from 1991 to 2003 and from the fall of the former regime onwards. He then went on to discuss the current political situation in Kurdistan and in Iraq as a whole. He expressed his hope that Iraq’s parliamentary elections are held on time and reiterated the KRG position that real change can only be made through elections.

They also discussed the relationship Kurdistan enjoys with its neighbors with Minister Mustafa explaining the progress made in these relations over the last few years. Proof of Kurdistan’s progress and openness to the international community is that today there are 27 diplomatic representations working in Kurdistan, he said.